December Newsletter 2019

EDUCATION about and PREVENTION against gender and relationship violence

Jana’s Campaign Updates

Winter 2019 janascampaign@gmail.com www.janascampaign.org

SECONDARY EDUCATION Thousands of Middle and High School Students Impacted Our prevention education programs in middle and high schools continue to grow and expand across Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska. To date, we have implemented our comprehensive programming in a total of 602 middle and high schools, impacting 69,735 students! Through a train-the-trainer model, we have also trained 487 teachers, counselors, social workers, and advocates to implement the Safe Dates curriculum in their classrooms or organizations. We are excited to further our efforts, increase our impact, and share Jana’s story in these states and beyond!

We work to individualize a teen dating violence prevention plan to best fit the needs of each school. Our programs foster a culture of respectful relationship behaviors and empowerment to lead to prevent through being an active bystander. Thanks to our individual, foundation, and corporate donors, allof our secondary education programs are offered at little or no costs for schools.

Co-Founder of Jana’s Campaign Appointed to Kansas FCCLA Board of Trustees Jana’s Campaign is excited to announce that co-founder, Dr. Curt Brungardt has been selected as a Board of Trustees member for the state of Kansas Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) organization. The mission of the Kansas FCCLA is to promote personal growth and leadership development through Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) education courses. Kansas FCCLA and FCS are great partners for our programming and have continually supported our efforts across the state.

Continued Support from the Heartland Community Foundation Jana’s Campaign is honored to be the recipient of another grant from the Heartland Community Foundation to further our gender and relationship violence prevention work in middle and high schools in Ellis County. This $5,000 grant project focuses specifically on bystander intervention training and developing leadership skills to prevent violence. The Heartland Community Foundation has continually supported our prevention education programming and we are grateful for their generous contributions to fund our work.

HIGHER EDUCATION Campus Safety Summits Grow – Save the Date!

To date, we have hosted fifteen Summits in four different regions and have welcomed 3,046 participants from 398 colleges, universities and organizations from 41 states. Our impact will only increase with our upcoming Summits. The 3rd annual Campus Safety Summit in Conjunction with the Conference on Crimes Against Women (CCAW) will be held May 18-19th in Dallas, TX, the 5th annual Rocky Mountain Campus Safety Summit will be held on June 10-11th in Denver, CO and the 8th annual Heartland Campus Safety Summit is scheduled for November 11th and 12th. Dates and location for the 3rd annual Midwest Campus Safety to be announced soon.

New Partnership with Southern Methodist University for the CCAW Campus Safety Summit We believe colleges and universities should do more to prevent gender and relationship violence on their campuses. The Campus Safety Summit is a regional and affordable conference for the sharing of knowledge, training, information and strategies on genderbased violence prevention in Dallas, TX. Like Jana’s Campaign, Southern Methodist University (SMU) works to prevent violence on their campus. This upcoming year, SMU and Jana’s Campaign are working together to further expand programming for the Summit.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION Jana’s Campaign Joins Collaborative Efforts to Reduce Violence in Ford County, KS Jana’s Campaign has been invited to participate on the Ford County, KS Coordinated Community Response team (CCR). CCR’s are multi-agency teams that engage the entire community in efforts to develop a common understanding of gender-based violence and a programming plan to change social norms and attitudes that contribute to violence. The Ford County team is comprised of law enforcement, health services, protection services, schools, legal and judicial services, and advocacy organizations.

Working together to create an effective and collaborative response and prevention plan is key to preventing violence from ever starting.

Maintaining a Healthy & Safe Workplace Environment Training A newly developed component of our community education efforts includes a workplace violence training. Domestic violence often follows victims to their workplaces and we believe all organizations should provide training to all employees. This training provides practical knowledge on multiple forms of gender-based violence domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual harassment.

Also discusses why gender-based violence is a workplace issue, how to address workplace violence and increase safety for all employees as well as how to limit liability for employers and guidance on adopting workplace violence policies.

Jana’s Campaign partnered with the Fort Hays State University Management Development to provide this training in October, during national domestic violence awareness month. We were also invited by NexTech, a local technology and internet service company in Hays, KS to record the training for implementation with all their new employees. This training can be modified to fit the needs of any organization. If you would like to learn more about the domestic violence in the workplace training, contact us at 785-656-0324 or janascampaign@gmail.com.

Awareness Month Toolkits Available for 2020 October is nationally recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Many believe the issue of domestic violence does not pertain to them. The truth is, it pertains to everyone. Why? Because we are all the friend, partner, brother, sister, mother, father, grandparent, co-worker, neighbor of someone who is a victim of domestic violence. Kaiti Dinges, Executive Director said “Domestic Violence is a serious issue in our country, states, and communities. The only way we can create a culture that does not accept violence, is to become educated and then talk about it. We encourage you to get comfortable talking about the uncomfortable. You don’t have to be an expert to make a difference – you just have to be aware of the factors that can contribute to violence.” To help others create healthy conversations around domestic violence, sexual assault, teen dating violence, and stalking, Jana’s Campaign will create Awareness Month Toolkits. These toolkits will be available in 2020 for your use through our website, www.janascampaign.org.

OTHER NEWS & FUNDRAISING Jana’s Campaign Hires Executive Director Kaiti Dinges, formerly the Assistant Director of Jana’s Campaign, started her role as Executive Director in September of 2019. Dinges holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Fort Hays State University. She has served as a staff member of Jana’s Campaign since 2016, starting as an Education & Prevention Specialist. “I am so very humbled and excited to lead this organization,” Dinges said.

“This social disease can be eradicated, and I am eager to continue the mission of Jana’s Campaign to do so.”’

Grant Received to Expand Prevention Education Programming Across Kansas This fall, Jana’s Campaign received a $30,000 grant from the Sunflower Foundation of Topeka, KS. These important resources will assist our efforts of expanding our prevention education programming across the state of Kansas. The Foundation supports organizations that work to create an environment with healthier behaviors, and by working together, we believe this social disease can be prevented and ultimately eradicated in a single generation. We are grateful for the foundation’s support.

Empty Place at the Table Gala Smashes Fundraising Goal Jana’s Campaign hosted the 8th Annual Empty Place at the Table on Saturday, November 2nd at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall in Hays, KS. With 250 friends, family, and supporters in attendance, nearly $80,000 was raised, making this year’s event the most successful in the history of the organization! “This event is an opportunity for all of Jana’s Campaign’s friends and supporters to celebrate the work that has been done to reduce gender-based violence, and raises the funds necessary to continue working to prevent the violence before it starts,” said Kaiti Dinges, Executive Director. This year’s gala theme was A Night in Paris, to share memories and photos of Jana’s travels to France as a high school student. Every dollar raised at Empty Place at the Table is directly used to provide effective gender and relationship violence prevention education. A special thank you to all attendees, volunteers, and event sponsors!

Council Grove, KS Locals Host Oktoberfest Fundraiser Max & Cali Byram, co-owners of BG's Bar and Grill, Council Grove, KS organized an Oktoberfest Fundraiser to benefit Jana’s Campaign. This event was the first of its kind for the Council Grove community and consisted of amazing German food, beer, pumpkin painting, yard games, and several live bands throughout the day! Over 300 attendees joined BG’s staff, volunteers, and Jana’s Campaign staff for a great time, raising $6,000 for our important prevention work.

Mark Your Calendars! – Defining a Difference Fundraiser to Take Place in Colby, KS The Thomas County Attorney’s Office has continually supported Jana’s Campaign and our education and prevention work. Rachel Lamm, J.D., and her team are dedicated to raising awareness of gender and relationship violence as well as raising funds for Jana’s Campaign’s prevention education programs across the state of Kansas. Join us in Colby, Kansas for the third annual Defining a Difference Gala event on Saturday, March 7 at 6:00 PM at the City Limits Convention Center. To purchase tickets, visit www.janascampaign.org/colby-fundraiser.html

Staff and Board of Directors Available for Presentations Jana’s Campaign staff and board members are available to provide gender and relationship violence prevention education programs in your schools, organizations or communities. Our team provides engaging and impactful presentations appropriate for all age groups, all at little to no-cost. To inquire about scheduling a speaker, please call (785) 656-0324.

Preventing Gender & Relationship Violence Takes All of Us Help Jana’s Campaign educate as many tweens, teens, and young adults as possible! We need your continued commitment and support to serve our mission of reducing gender and relationship violence.

Your support makes a real and lasting impact in the lives of those who hear Jana’s story and learn about healthy-and-unhealthy relationship behaviors. This year alone, over 10,000 students were impacted by our prevention education programs. Would you be willing to make a special year-end donation of $25, $50, $100, or whatever you can afford to help us meet our goal of reaching 10,000 more students in 2020? Please use the enclosed envelope to send your gift or visit our website janascampaign.org/donate to donate today. We simply cannot do it without you!

Stay connected with Jana’s Campaign online,

call our office at 785-656-0324, or email us at janascampaign@gmail.com